Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who participated in the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, concluded her successful four-day official visit and returned to the island on January 23, having confidently presented Sri Lanka’s future direction and the policy stability of the new government to the global community.
The visit, attended by a delegation including Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, went beyond a series of diplomatic engagements and marked a significant milestone in strengthening the global confidence in Sri Lanka.
During the visit, the Prime Minister participated in consequential discussions with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Ms. Kristalina Georgieva and the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Mr. Masato Kanda. The Prime Minister outlined the debt restructuring process, economic stabilization efforts, and commitment to transparent financial governance of Sri Lanka, and successfully secured continued support from the institutions for the future trajectory of the country.
Participating in the diplomatic discussions, the Prime Minister met with the European Commissioner for International Partnerships Mr. Jozef Síkela and Commissioner for Crisis Management Ms. Hadja Lahbib. The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the assistance extended by the European Union following the impact of Cyclone “Ditwah” on Sri Lanka and reaffirmed long-term EU support for disaster management and national recovery efforts.
At a meeting with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Mr. Alexander De Croo, the attention was focused on establishing a transparent governance and a strong social protection framework in line with the people’s mandate received by the new government.
The Prime Minister’s contributions as a key speaker at the World Economic Forum sessions titled “Jobs Crisis in Emerging Markets” and “Reskilling Revolution” drew significant international attention.
The Prime Minister highlighted the need to build a “Learning Society” to bridge the time lag between rapid technological advancement and human adaptation.
Global attention was also drawn to Sri Lanka’s fully funded training programmes targeting 50,000 youth, as well as reforms in vocational education. In particular, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of building a Learning Society to ensure that generational divisions do not widen in the face of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation.
The speech delivered by the Prime Minister at the World Woman Davos Agenda 2026 under the theme “Women Leading the Changing Global Order” was marked an impactful intervention. She emphasized that leadership is not merely about taking a seat at existing tables, but about restructuring the tables themselves, and stressed the need to recognize unpaid care work undertaken by women as a core component of the economy. She also highlighted the election of 20 women to Sri Lanka’s current Parliament as a reflection of the government’s commitment to inclusive governance.
In the sphere of business and investment, discussions were held with Mr. Robert Mærsk Uggla, Chairman of global logistics leader MAERSK, and Mr. Hassan El-Houry, Chairman of Menzies Aviation, aiming at investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s ports, supply chains, and aviation sectors.
The Prime Minister also undertook technical visits to Swiss high-tech companies Hamilton Medical and Variosystems, and explored the ways to introduce the Dual Vocational Training model at Switzerland in a manner suited to Sri Lanka.
Strengthening regional cooperation, the Prime Minister met with President of Singapore Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam to discuss collaboration in education and skills development, and exchanged views on bilateral relations with Mr. Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh.
At a dialogue held at the Euronews Hub, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of utilizing tourism as a form of “soft power” and diplomatic capital.
Concluding the visit, the Prime Minister met with the members of the Sri Lankan business l and professional community residing in Switzerland, as well as Swiss business representatives. The discussions were held on practical contributions and cooperation that overseas Sri Lankans and foreign investors can extend towards Sri Lanka’s economic revival.
Through this historic engagement in Davos, the Prime Minister was able to reaffirm to the world that Sri Lanka is not merely a recipient of aid, but a country with a progressive state grounded in policy stability, attuned to global trends, and centered on human dignity.
The international respect and trust gained through this visit will further illuminate Sri Lanka’s future development path.
Prime Minister’s Media Division